Summer Fun and Fourth of July!

Summer fun is in high gear for the Baker Bunch!  We are working hard to check things off of our Summer Fun list!

 

Marcy and Nate sent Zane a couple of gift cards for his birthday (yes it was in May but we didn't get to have his party).  One of them was for him to share with the family...for yogurtini!  That one was used the very same night!

 

Yogurtini!  (a.k.a. "Frog Spit")

The older two boys are continuing their swim lessons.  They are really doing well and learning a lot.  I'm really glad we went with private lessons.  They each get 30 minutes of one-on-one swim instruction.  I have seen lots of improvements in both of them!

Zane's lesson...Mason just can't stay away during it!

Zaners swimming!

One night last week we had to divide and conquer...Mason had baseball and Zane had a birthday party.  That day we met Matt for lunch and Zane stayed with him for the afternoon since the birthday party was closer to Matt's work.  Mason had been waiting and waiting to play infield (he's usually outfield) and got to play pitcher and first that night!  I was sad Matt missed it, but got a couple of fun moments on video!

 

Our first baseman!

Here, here, here, throw it here!

 

Zane at the birthday party, playing bumper cars.

This week we decided to check a couple more things off of our summer fun list.  First up - Paradise Park.  I have gone to this place with my class for many years now, but have never taken the boys until this year.  They had a blast and were ready to go back the next day!

Ready for some fun.  We were the first people there!

Ball pit

Whee!

All three boys in the ball pit

Cashier Mason

May I help you?

Cleanup in aisle 5

Mason the banker

Bryce checking out his groceries

Look at Bryce with his hands on his hips!  Ha!

The boys cooking me some pizza!

Mini golf

Spiderman!

Foam factory

Water play

Water play

Face painting

Mason's mustache

I also love how Bryce is waiting here...laid out the fruit he wants and arms resting on counter!

LOVE!

Bryce was teasing me here...trying to get the camera!

This is how Bryce plays tractors/pickups...lines them all up.  He's REALLY into pickups right now!

A few days later we decided to go to a place none of us had ever been to...Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead.  It is a great place!  I will say that the boys weren't as excited as most kids in Kansas City to see animals, tractors, etc. since that's a pretty normal thing for them, but we still had a fun time! 

Ready for some farm fun!

Old schoolhouse

Cute baby goats

Yee haw!

Wow don't they look excited to pose for me?

Milking a cow!

Tilling up the land!

A teepee

Grinding flour

"This heavy"

Of course we had to get some ice cream...Mason refused to be in the picture.  You can see his reflection in the window beside me.

A hayride!  Bryce wasn't into pictures this time!

When we were at my parents' house a few weeks back, they let us bring back the baby seat to put on the back of my bike.  Recently they built a trail close to our house.  So the boys decided to try the trail out a couple of times this weekend.  The first time they went just a little ways, and the second time they went a total of 5 miles!  We definitely like the trail and will be using it a lot!

Getting our exercise!

We also had our yearly checkups this week! 

Zane:  As long as his leg doesn't hurt and he's not limping we are good.  If it comes back we might have to look into a shoe insert.  The rest of his report is good!

Mason:  Might need to get his eyes checked.  We'll keep an "eye" on that.  He also had to get his kindergarten shots.  Three of them.  The nurse came in with two other nurses to help her.  One of them sat and held him in her lap.  I thought he would freak out, but he watched her give them and when she did, he started smiling!  All three of them couldn't believe it and told him he was the bravest kindergartner they had ever seen!  The rest of Mason's report was great!

Bryce:  He has had some moloscum on his side for quite some time now.  Mason had these as well.  They look like pimples on their skin.  They are contagious, especially in water, but not harmful...just annoying...and not pretty.  Bryce's are sometimes red, sometimes white, and just annoying.  Finally at this appointment we had them treated and now they look worse!  They now have scabs over them and hopefully are healing up.  They don't seem to bother him, so that's good!  I just hope they stay away!  Other than those, he had a great report!

Watching the fishies!

Bribery...fire time...the whole time there...it kept them quite almost the entire time!

Many moments in our summer are stressful.  My boys like to roughhouse.  They like to fight.  They like to tattle.  They like to tease.  It's not always easy.  But there are some moments that make my heart happy, like below, when they are playing together nicely and all seems right in the world!

Just hangin' with my brothers!

The other night we drove through a new subdivision looking at houses.  We got out to look at one, then all loaded up in the van.  Bryce stayed out and said "I walk home."  He was as serious as can be.  We said bye, he waved and said bye, then put his hand on his hip and started walking!  Of course we didn't go far before we got him, but it was hilarious!

See ya at home!

Need a ride?  NOPE!



Bye!

After eating supper...Bryce wanted to hold Mason's hand!  So sweet!

We got a few fireworks this year...got away with only about $12 worth!  Enough to make them happy!





Snappers

Mason ready to make some noise!

Zane is a pyro...



Mason was trying to spell his name!

Sparklers make us happy!

Bryce loved the sparklers!

Playing board games!  I have to capture these moments to prove they can get along!

On the morning of the fourth, we went to Jo's house, where we watch the parade each year.  It's right in the middle of summer, so it's always nice to see her and any of the other kids/families that come over!



Waiting for the parade to start!

Mason's all fired up!

The flags were going by to start the parade and I told Bryce to put his hand on his heart...so sweet!

Mason and Braeden watching the parade

Kerrigan and Bryce

Nicholas, Aiden, Arthur, Jo, and Bryce

Our three firecrackers!

The boys with Jo!  Nine years of Jo's house!

Ready for their second, long, ride!

 

Matt turned around and saw this!

On the night of the fourth, we decided to give Gladstone's fireworks a try.  We have always done Parkville, and they are good, but it's just so crowded there.  Our friends told us about Gladstone's and where they found to sit.  Their kids are all the same age as our kids!  Nathan and Zane went to preschool together, and Nicolas and Mason went as well!  Soon Bryce and Morgan will be going to school together!  It's at a high school and there's a soccer field that's open and not many people to go.  The kids had so much fun playing baseball, soccer, kickball, frisbee, and with glow sticks!  It was great and that will be our place to go from now on!

 



Bryce and Morgan.

Brycers "fell down" on the blanket!

Bryce pretending his popsicle is a gun or sword or something...and Nicolas playing along really well!

Gearing up for fireworks!  L-R:  Zane, Mason, Nathan, Nicolas, Morgan, Bryce

Fireworks!

It's been a great fourth!  Matt's been working feverishly to clean up the boat and van for vacation.  We leave Sunday morning!  We are excited to have a relaxing week on the lake! 

Grandma Beggs was moved to the Clearfield Nursing Home on Thursday.  She is staying there to build up her strength to move home.  Right now she cannot be alone and needs some medical attention, but not enough to stay in the hospital.  She's very determined to get well soon and get herself home, so continued prayers for that!